Chefs who inspire you...

[caseydog]

Who do you find inspiring? Whether they are cookbook authors, celebrity chefs, or someone you know personally who get's you motivated to cook when you lack inspiration.

I'll start with Antonio Carluccio. He was an Italian chef, who passed a few months ago. I loved watching him on YouTube. He wasn't exciting to watch in the kitchen, but I could see how good he was by how effortlessly he cooked good food. He taught me that simple food was good food. I learned how to make Spaghetti alla Carbonara from one of his videos. The way he did it so well, and so calmly made it easy for me to do what he did.

Here is the last video he made, before passing at 80-years old. If you don't get bored or fall asleep, you will understand why I admire him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMQTZkQto7Q

CD

 

[Aunt Bea]

If I could only choose one it would be Jacques Pépin.

 

[Andy M.]

I got into cooking later in life. I learned a lot from watching TV chefs. Jacques Pepin is probably #1. His technique is so effortless and fluid and he created delicious looking dishes out of the simplest ingredients.

I also learned stuff form Jeff Smith, Giada di Lorentiis, Biba Gagiano, Caprille Pence, Nick Stellino, Emeril (before BAM!), Tyler Florence, etc.

 

[Dawgluver]

I grew up watching Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet, on PBS pre Food Network. Liked Julia Child and Jacques too.

 

[GA Home Cook]

Ina Garten. She does a very good job explaining what she is doing. Only thing is that she uses the most expensive ingredients too.

 

[Just Cooking]

My initial inspiration was being gifted a wok and all the accessories, including a cook book..
I acquired my love for cooking and learning from early PBS cooking show hosts..

Ross

 

[larry_stewart]

Im also a big Jacques Pepin fan/ admirer.
Ironically when I first saw him on TV 25 + years ago, I didn't like him.
I thought he had an arrogance to him.
But as I watched his show, I realized he's all about explaining and teaching.
He's not trying to sell you anything ( although now he has a line of cooking apparel at Sur la Table), he's not going for the celebrity, or the reality show. No crappy music playing in the background. Its just good plain old cooking and technique.
75% of what he cooks I can't eat anyway ( being a vegetarian), but I learn so much in every episode or cooking demo I see him at.

A few years back i went to a food and wine show, Bobby Flay was there. Not knocking Bobby Flay, but his demo was so staged, you can tell he was a 'TV celebrity Chef" just by the way things were set up, and the large 'posse' he had surrounding him and doing things for him. Then at I saw Jacques, and he just came on, no hyped up crap, just did his thing, no hoops and fire, just explained it thoroughly. They even forgot to supply him with a few ingredients he needed for the recipe he was doing, so , without missing a beat, he said ' oh well, lets wee what else they have for me in the fridge' and he pulled out a fe other ingredients and modified his dish under the circumstances. No big deal, just went with the flow.

As we all know, cooking is rarely ever perfect. Definitely something you sometimes need to kinda go with the flow, and I was able to relate to him at that event.

What I also like is how, over the years , he has included his daughter and now his granddaughter in on his books, tv shows and cooking demo events. You can see that he is in it for the love of cooking, sharing his experiences with others and his family, and that jus sits right with me.

There are many other chefs I do admire and learn from. And some whose recipes I like more than Jacques. But, If I wanted a one on one cooking session and Q & A session with, Jacques Pepin would be my #1 by far.

 

[blissful]

This last year, I've been learning cheese. Gavin Webber out of Australia is an inspiration on cheese making.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4wK2Du-x3E&t=4s

I made feta cheese the other day. He doesn't claim to be a 'chef' but when it comes to cheese, he is one.

 

[Kayelle]

Casey, I had not heard of Antonio Carluccio, but after watching some of his video's I can see why he impresses you. He shares the same kind of easy classic style as my favorite chef, Jacques Pepin. I'm always impressed by great chef's who aren't impressed with themselves.

 

[larry_stewart]

I'm always impressed by great chef's who aren't impressed with themselves. [/I]

Couldn't have said it better

Although there are a few that I almost get some kinda bizarre kick out of their arrogance. Im not sure if it's just an act or they are truly that full of themselves.

Nick Stellino comes to mind in this sense. I enjoy watching his shows, but i've never seen someone kiss their own butt as much as he does. But for some reason, it doesn't rub me the wrong way. I just laugh at his stupid self fulfilling comments.

 

[roadfix]

For me, I have no one in particular, I got most of my inspirations from cooking blogs originally.

 

[Just Cooking]

Who do you find inspiring? Whether they are cookbook authors, celebrity chefs, or someone you know personally who get's you motivated to cook when you lack inspiration.

I'll start with Antonio Carluccio. He was an Italian chef, who passed a few months ago. I loved watching him on YouTube. He wasn't exciting to watch in the kitchen, but I could see how good he was by how effortlessly he cooked good food. He taught me that simple food was good food. I learned how to make Spaghetti alla Carbonara from one of his videos. The way he did it so well, and so calmly made it easy for me to do what he did.

Here is the last video he made, before passing at 80-years old. If you don't get bored or fall asleep, you will understand why I admire him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMQTZkQto7Q

CD

What a marvelous gentleman.. Wish I had known of him years ago. I will watch his videos, maybe not to cook things but, to enjoy him..

Ross

 

[tenspeed]

I haven't watched TV cooking shows in years, but add me to the Jacques Pepin "Happy Cooking" fan club.

I've become a Chef John fan. His recipes and videos are geared to the home cook, and he does a great job explaining and showing what he is doing. His background as a culinary instructor shows. He is clearly having fun making these videos, especially the ones he has made over the last couple of years.

 

[Kayelle]

I haven't watched TV cooking shows in years, but add me to the Jacques Pepin "Happy Cooking" fan club.

I've become a Chef John fan. His recipes and videos are geared to the home cook, and he does a great job explaining and showing what he is doing. His background as a culinary instructor shows. He is clearly having fun making these videos, especially the ones he has made over the last couple of years.

Oh yes, how could I have forgotten to mention Chef John? I use his great video's and recipes often. In my opinion, he's the gold standard of the cooking video. I guess he annoys some but he's the real deal with cooking and instructing. With him, even novice cooks can be successful.
http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/1058667/best-cooking-tips-food-wishes-chef-john

 

[caseydog]

What a marvelous gentleman.. Wish I had known of him years ago. I will watch his videos, maybe not to cook things but, to enjoy him..

Ross

Look up "Two Greedy Italians" on YouTube. Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo travel around Italy together eating snd cooking for a BBC show.

Wonderful show.

There are multiple seasons and episodes, so you have to rummage around the search results to watch them in order. But, it is not that important that you watch them in oder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBJtYXmDe_o

CD

 

[JustJoel]

I don’t know that many chefs, except the celebrities. I love watching Anne Burrell, and I’ve tried many of her recipes with success, and gotten some great tips from her show.

It really disappoints me that major cable food channels have switched to a largely “game show/celebrity reality shows, although I must admit that I do enjoy some of them.

I love ATK, Cook’s Country, and Christopher Kimball’s new show “Milk Street Television.” Did Kimball leave ATK, or is the new show another shoot off?

Of course Pepín, Child, and the great Irma Rombauer. Maybe Lydia Bastianich, as well.

 

[caseydog]

It really disappoints me that major cable food channels have switched to a largely “game show/celebrity reality shows, although I must admit that I do enjoy some of them.

Oh yeah. I hate that trend. Iron chef and Iron Chef America were cool, but they were over-the-top competitions that lasted one episode. But, the plethora of food competition shows that were spawned by that just don't do anything for me. Especially the ones that give contestants a stupid combination of ingredients and tell them to make something good from them in 20 minutes.

CD

 

[JustJoel]

Oh yeah. I hate that trend. Iron chef and Iron Chef America were cool, but they were over-the-top competitions that lasted one episode. But, the plethora of food competition shows that were spawned by that just don't do anything for me. Especially the ones that give contestants a stupid combination of ingredients and tell them to make something good from them in 20 minutes.

CD

“Americ’s Worst Cook’s” can be funny, and I used tolike “Food Network Star” until they stopped making stars! I like Master Chef, because Gordon Ramsey is my absolutely favorite person to hate!

I swear, these days I learn more from a ten minute segment on Rachel Ray than I get from an entire afternoon watching the Food Network.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

casey, my Mom was my first inspiration. Still is, since I cook a lot of the same things she did when I was growing up.

My first gourmet inspiration was my co-worker, Vee. She was a childless professional whose husband was an admired architect, and they entertained often. She "adopted" me as her Kitchen Kid. I was very blessed that she took me under her wing, introduced me to then-exotic foods, and taught me the kitchen basics. Plus, she had some very cool guests at her dinners and I was lucky enough to be invited to attend a couple of them.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...I'm always impressed by great chef's who aren't impressed with themselves...

...Although there are a few that I almost get some kinda bizarre kick out of their arrogance. Im not sure if it's just an act or they are truly that full of themselves..

I'd say I've missed out on a lot without having cable/dish/digital TV, but probably not. At least I've seen quality cooking shows on PBS. My favorites have been Jacques Pepin, Sara Mouton. Also, although no longer a daily viewer, I still watch The Chew when I think of it. Mario Batali had that "full of himself" air about him. Oddly enough, I kinda miss him and his superior attitude now that he's been bounced. At least Michael Symon is still there with his down-home cooking.

Im also a big Jacques Pepin fan/ admirer....No crappy music playing in the background. Its just good plain old cooking and technique...

^This!^ I used to like Lydia Bastianich's show, but not any longer. When I started to watch the new season, I noticed that it had annoying music going on while she was talking. I guess they still do that - I haven't tuned in since the first or second show.